Rail

MTA, LIRR introduces 'talking kiosk' at Penn Station

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) unveiled a "talking kiosk" to help the visually impaired and other customers navigate the concourses, passageways and platforms of Pennsylvania Station.

The kiosk features a touch-activated, tactile map of the station, vivid visual displays for the partially sighted and a voice designed for phonetic clarity. As a customer touches different parts of the map, the kiosk describes the corresponding location and gives directions of how to get there. It also offers general information about Penn Station and the LIRR.

The kiosk is the second permanent talking kiosk located on the LIRR concourse. The new version has expanded functionality and an improved user interface, a smaller size and a convenient wall-mounted position.

The team will perform systems construction management services for the $3.7 billion East Link Extension, a 14-mile-long extension, and the $1.9 billion 4.3-mile Northgate Link Extension between the University of Washington at Husky Stadium, the University District, and the Northgate neighborhood.

University of North Texas students will now have the option to park at MedPark Station and take the Colorado Express shuttle directly to the campus, or ride the A-train to the Downtown Denton Transit Center and board Denton Connect Routes directly to the campus, amongst other benefits for customers.

In partnership with Network Rail, they will conduct an independent review of the interaction, coordination, and collaboration between the railroads’ various passenger concourses within Penn Station and provide recommendations to improve the design, functionality, communications, and coordination at this critical station.